Scarlett's POV
I was about to open the door of my car when I felt his hand on my thigh going up.
Hardly made myself to clear my mind with a bottle of wine I've drank lately at the Casino.
I placed my hand on top of his and forcefully took it away.
I heard him weakly sighed. Then he adjusted his seat.
I was stopped moving for awhile. It's not because of the headache I have but because of how mesmerising his beauty is.
Then I only notice that he have no piercings now on his left ear and right. But placed with an eyebrow piercing instead.
His red colored hair shines within the thin light of light bulbs on the roof of parking lot.
That shines within his thin glossy lips as it moves.
He didn't change. He's still the domineering Cliffor Cox I know from elementary who used to pull jokes around everyone especially to me whenever he's bored.
That kid who used to roll his eyes to everyone he hates, a basketball player, an ace student.
A top notcher not because he's from the family who owns the school but because of his intelligence.
And because he's far intelligent than us, he's always the student who's the master of all subjects and bringing awards, trophy and medals from other school back to ours.
He's the pride, and yes he's prideful.
He gets what he wants and he can have whatever it is.
But the thing is— he doesn't like poor people around him.
He loves to criticize people, laughs about their poor living and play with other classmates who's unfortunate to come along with every event to our school.
But what I'm confused about is... Why do people he bullies still likes him to be their friend? Or somehow were craving for his attention and relationship.
Even tho at highschool, he became worse and uncontrollable.
"Sca..."
I turned to him and met his sleepy eyes.
I was stunned, and my heart was pounding inside my chest.
I could almost feel my heart want to break out of my ribcage because of the nervousness.
That comes from his looks.
"We're here, Cox. Can you walk?" I said while not looking at him.
But after a few seconds of silence he still didn't answer so I decided to spoke again.
"I'm gonna call a hotel staff to help us if you can't."
"N-no need, I-I'll be fine... C-can we stay here for awhile?" He slowly said.
I wanted to say yes but I was worried about Sylvan's appearance in my mind. And how he got angry with me that day in the hospital when we first met.
I adjusted my seat and opened the door of my car in my way to get out but he suddenly pulled me.
His hand tightened on my wrist as he say,
"Stay."
I took a deep breath while looking at his sleepy eyes while his throat moved repeatedly.
I shook my head, it can't be because Sylvan might get angrier.
I'm not scared of him, I just don't want to be in trouble if he thinks I'm flirting with his boyfriend.
Which is clearly a bluff.
"You're drunk, you're probably drugged too. Can you walk? I'm gonna call someone or two to help you walk up to my condominium —"
"Disappearing and then coming back without a notice is a sin, do you know that?"
He cut my words.
Something that made my heart beat even faster.
I don't understand him.
What is he saying? Sin? disappearing? coming back without a notice?
I do not get it.
"Cause what if... What if that person is already settled and then you will just appear like... Like for real..."
"Cox, you're drunk." I say.
It made him to chuckle. "Why?" He asked. "Cause you don't understand?" He questioned.
And then he turned his eyes to see me. I'm still confused, and I know he'll notice it.
He stared at me, while I am trying to hold on to that stare that makes my heart to tremble. With a sweaty hands, I looked away for the reason I can't hold it anymore.
But in my peripheral vision, he's still looking at me.
I clearly hate this. I was not made to do this!
"Let's go—"
"You're dumb. Naive. Numb. All in all,"
I heard him say before I got out of the car.
And he was left in the passenger seat with his head resting on the backrest of the seat.
--
Instead of lying on the bed, he just sat on the end of it and bent over playing with his necktie.
We are here now at my condominium because he doesn't want to go to his place.
There was no problem when I entered, and Cox along with the two hotel staff men helped me to bring him to my room.
But then he looks pissed.
Maybe because he hates the idea of other helping him in a simple way that alone man can do or... Maybe because he hates that someone else touched his skin.
"What do you feel? Is there any parts of you that hurts?" I asked.
But then he silently looked up on me and shook his head.
"Do you feel hungry? We'll deliver some food if you —"
"I don't need anything." He cut my words, making me looking at him puzzled.
"Okay, I'll be at the other room. If you need something, Just call me—"
"I can't sleep alone." He said. I sighed.
"I'll give you more pillows to accompany you to your sleep."
"Can a pillow talk?" He asked, too sarcastic for me to not understand.
I raised my brow, stopped from stepping towards the door with a hard face.
"Or yeah... Afraid of us accidentally having sex again?" He blatantly said.
Even the word 'suprise' aren't enough to express how I felt instantly when he said that.
He smirked. Taking his polo-long-sleeve's button to start unbuttoning it.
"Cox! Stop!" I shouted and almost turned my gaze towards the other way.
"Bitch, it's so hot in here! If only you opened your aircon then I'll not going to take this off!" He say, annoyed.
"I... I just forgot to turn it on, hold on..."
"So you're really scared of it?"
"Stop it! It's nonsense, Cox!"
"How can it be nonsense when we—"
"Stop it! Cy!"
"Okay, okay, fine. I'll stop."
I looked at him sharply. This opportunity is new to me. Because I was never able to look Cox in the eye with anger.
It's the opposite of what he's doing now. His gaze was dark. Maybe he is sleepy or because of the drugs that he takes in the casino.
But whatever the reason, it feels unrealistic.
Knowing him, he will never let people to stare at him the way I do tonight. If it happens, that's rare.
"Are you not going to sleep already?" He asked.
Making me shook my head in an instance as I got back to reality.
I looked away and was about to got out of the door when he sounded, asking
"Athena." He say "It's a bit spacious. We can share the bed ."
Athena... Athena.
I was never been called Athena for a very long time.
"I can take the couch." I replied
"What if we exchange? I'll take the couch, you must stay here."
"Cy." I called him.
He's halfway the door when he was stopped by my voice.
With two pillows on his arm and hand, a white blanket that I gave to him awhile ago, he looked at me puzzled.
"You're a visitor... You, you must take the bed instead."
"but I'm not..." he said hesitantly.
"I'm not... used to a spacious bed when it's only me to conquer it." its continuation.
"I can not sleep."
I was stunned in my feet.
No words came out of my mouth after I heard that and I was like a statue in my place.
He looks at me as if he is innocent. It's strange because I'm used to him always looking sharp at me.
It's like I can't breathe properly with those looks.
As if it was a sin for me to have enough air to breathe.
"T-that's weird I know. I'll take the couch —"
"But Cy, you don't fit on the couch. You're big enough to that small place." I said.
He bent down to look at his own feet. He is still wearing pants and shoes.
Something that still surprises me because just recently he still needed two people to help him stand and to walk.
But now, he can do it alone.
it's a bit suspicious, that's why I stepped closer to him and stopped in front of him.
"Say, you're lying to me, aren't you?" I asked.
My tone almost broke with nervousness.
he stopped and I met his gaze.
His lips were silent and closed. While his eyes were looking at me.
And then I think.
Why would this man will lie?
There is also no reason for him to lie to me.
Nothing. Clearly.